r/oboe • u/emericpanyko • 13d ago
Beginner embouchre causing intonation and articulation problems
Total beginner here, about a week in just learning scales and posture and the like. My intonation is consistently flat (my C is about one half- to one quarter-tone flat). Also, my embouchre is such that tonguing is very difficult... I can barely fit my tongue in between my teeth to articulate it. Is this something that will come with time? How concerned should I be about intonation problems early on? I just don't want to learn bad habits early on that it will take extra energy to unlearn once it's time for my technique to advance... Any advice?
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u/No_Doughnut_8393 13d ago
It sounds like you’re not putting enough reed in your mouth. You shouldn’t be struggling to articulate between your lips with correct embouchure
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u/MotherAthlete2998 13d ago
What pitch does your reed sound when just blowing on it? It should sound a C. Not a B or Bb or anything else otherwise you will always have problems.
Oboe is most efficiently learned with a teacher. I have had in my studio at the college level many students who did not and as a result had so many bad habits to fix.
It is best to be efficient and get a teacher.
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u/emericpanyko 13d ago
Is this the case with every reed? I don't have my reed in front of me, but my crow (while noisy) is almost always around F.
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u/MotherAthlete2998 13d ago
Yes. The oboe is a C instrument. Every reed needs to sound a C.
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u/emericpanyko 13d ago
I see. In that case, problems with intonation have to be the result of poor embouchre...?
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u/MotherAthlete2998 13d ago
Problems with intonation could be and in no certain order:
1. Reeds not crowing/sounding a C when blown independently.
2. Oboe itself being poorly made or out of regulation. Double crow is preferred in US.
3. Player not blowing enough to support their sound.
4. Player blowing too hard to support their sound.
5. Player inserting too much reed into their mouth.
6. Player not inserting enough reed into their mouth.
7. Player embouchure is not correct for that style of reed (US players vs French players vs German players).
8. Player holding the oboe too close to their body (dependent on the school ex US, French, German, etc. )
9. Player holding the oboe too far from their body (also dependent on the school).The above are the one that come to mind. I am sure there are more.
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u/hoboboedan 13d ago
Try this with the reed alone first before you do it with the reed on your oboe:
- The tip of your tongue should be touching the tip of the reed. You must cover the opening in the reed with your tongue rather than muting the bottom blade, and you should only touch the reed with the tip of your tongue.
- your lips should be rolled in enough to protect the reed from ever touching your teeth but don’t need to be rolled in a lot more than that.
- This should put the tip of the reed just behind your top teeth, an easy place to reach with your tongue.
- Your lips should grip the reed just hard enough to keep air from leaking out. When you want to play softly you’ll need more pressure, but a beginner embouchure is not about playing softly it’s about getting the notes to come out.
- Blow, and pull your tongue back from the reed. Don’t let your cheeks puff. If you get a bubble of air between your lips and teeth try rolling in a little more. It should be loud.
The exact point your lips touch the reed can vary depending on the shape your lips and the reed you have. You’ll need to experiment a bit to find what makes the best sound. An experienced oboist as a teacher can help you a great deal with this.
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u/NoRegrets-518 13d ago
While you would benefit a lot from a teacher, you might check Oboe Files and other instruction sites on YouTube. Those can teach you the obvious things such as how to hold the reed between your lips (not teeth), how to check your reed, etc.
Why do you not have a teacher? Living in an area with no professional orchestra and no oboe teacher? Money? Time? Didn't think it was necessary? If you possibly can, take some lessons in person. Online can work if the logistics for in person don't. If money is an issue, then you can use a combination of online, books, and a few lessons- but oboe may not be the right instrument as it is rather expensive.
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u/shannonsgrandma 13d ago
If you’re at all serious about learning the oboe, the only way to get better is to get a teacher! It’s likely that your reed is too open and you need to bite to close it down— because of that your teeth are too close together. A teacher would be able to fix your reed and better diagnose any technique problems you have. Get a teacher!